JOURNAL OF THE PLAGUE YEAR, THURSDAY, APRIL 12TH, 1900

2020: DAY 19

SMH (p5)

REBUILDING A PORTION OF SYDNEY (p3)
TO THE EDITOR OF THE HERALD.
Sir,- Should the Premier carry forward his reported proposal for rebuilding a portion of Darling Harbour section of the city, that act would no doubt be recorded in the history of the city as a grand achievement. Why not go one better by following my lead and making a ' bull's eye shot " at being recorded in history as ' W .John Lyne the Hausmann of Sydney N.S.W.?" The way to make certain of such distinction is clearly set out on a map of the city which I have especially prepared for the purpose. 
I am, &c, 
J. HORBURY HUNT. Studio, Cranbrook Cottage, Double Bay, April 6.

THE GREATER SYDNEY MOVEMENT (p4)

PUBLIC WORKS COMMITTEE


CITY RAILWAY EXTENSION 
(not proposed to take it to Darling Harbour)
- 

Letter from Mayor of Woollahra pointing out that he's boss and that the sanitary committee is not empowered to do anything.
- only abt 40 residences with sanitary defects, 10 of them Chinese gardeners.


BUBONIC PLAGUE 
(p5)

FALLING OFF IN CASES REPORTED


DEATHS YESTERDAY


PROGRESS OF CLEANSING WORK
- employment of residents in Belmore Park area. At first, men bought from outside and residents locked out. Then given work, following their protests.


- Letter to ed claiming that in the country a storekeeper has a sign saying "No Sydney goods received here"


Batson’s Lane, Sydney, 1900 - Source: State Library of NSW

JOURNAL OF THE PLAGUE YEAR, WEDNESDAY APRIL 11TH, 1900

2020: DAY 18

SMH, p5

BUBONIC PLAGUE


WORK IN THE QUARANTINED  AREAS


YESTERDAYS CASES
- "rat-destroying crusade" to be undertaken. Ashburton-Thompson in charge of administering it.


COST OF GOVT ARRANGEMENTS - £20-30,000/month.


COMPELLING SANITARY REFORMS


UNITED ACTION BY ALL AUTHORITIES


DRASTIC WORK TO BE UNDERTAKEN 
- ( 2 sewerage systems were in operation, the Council's and the Water Board's) -> WB has not authority to compel owners to connect to sewers already built by city, although it has powers in relation to its own sewers.
- under Sect. 38 of Public Health Act, Council is empowered to serve notice on owners of insanitary buildings
- Attorney-Gen. (Wise) had received list of owners of most insanitary premises. He was sure they could not have been aware of the state of premises.


THE QUARANTINE  GANGS AT WORK


STATE OF BELMORE PARK AREA


UNSUSPECTED ABOMINATIONS
- in tenements - "state of things that transcends Darling Harbour revelations, and makes them appear small by comparison. - "filth oozed out from beneath floors"; stables - "the damp from which percolated through the walls and travelled up them by capillary action."
"The details are sickening and almost unprintable"


QUARANTINING OF ERSKINE ST - meeting of merchants and shopkeepers agree to send deputation to seek compensation for loss of trade.


MEETING AT WOOLLAHRA


ADDRESS BY THE ATTORNEY GENERAL.


THE RESPONSIBILITY OF PROPERTY-OWNERS


PROMPT ACTION TO BE TAKEN 
- (Attorney-General spoke as resident of borough, keen to assist local council)
-> "There was an old proverb that if every householder would sweep in front of his own door the street would soon be clean"
- more local govt precautions - Redfern, Canterbury, 


GARBAGE DESTRUCTORS


EXPERIENCES IN HONG KONG


SUGGESTIONS FOR RESIDENTS OF SYDNEY (always it seems, the natives are particularly susceptible but Europeans are not)
- suggested that men involved in cleaning should smoke and take spirituous liquors to protect them. Also, be careful of skin lacerations


A CLEAN MAN (on same page) - Advertisement for Dr Morse's Indian Root Pills - Outside cleanliness is less than half the battle. Good health means "clean stomach, clean bowels, clean blood, clean liver, and new, clean healthy tissues and fibres in every organ of the body."


Ads - The Plague - can be spread by milk delivered from dirty dairies - so, buy our clean milk - NSW Fresh Food & Ice Co.

Cleansing the streets - Source: State Library of NSW

JOURNAL OF THE PLAGUE YEAR, TUESDAY APRIL 10TH, 1900

2020: DAY 17

SMH, p3

BUBONIC PLAGUE


EXTENSION OF QUARANTINED AREA


QUARANTINE DECLARED NEAR BELMORE PARK

YESTERDAY'S CASES AND DEATHS 
- Belmore Park, Wexford St area. Heavily populated with Chinese.


A CASE AT PARRAMATTA
 - man who went every day to fruit-markets in Sydney


INTERVIEW WITH DR CHERRY


HOW MELBOURNE IS ACTING


IMPRESSIONS OF SYDNEY METHODS 
- capitation fee in force; some infected rats found, but no cases in humans.
- 

PADDINGTON SANITARY COMMITTEE


CITY COUNCIL 


PLAGUE PRECAUTIONS


THE MOORE PARK TIP - 
should a bonus be paid for rats?


PLAGUE IN WEXFORD ST
- Alderman Dr Graham drew attention to an outbreak of plague amongst the Asiatics of the city...the case a very bad one... neighbourhoods swarming with rats.
- 

PLAGUE PREVENTION PRECAUTIONS Mayor submitted return of work: 4814 houses inspected; 532 notices to clean; 464 re-inspections; 38,000 (!) rats caught; 1850 rats captured


PRECAUTIONS AGAINST RATS
 - debate re capitation fee.
- if you pay it, then kids will catch rats and get plague. But they're catching them now!


PRIVATE LANES 
- move to close them defeated in Council


OPEN SEWER, GEORGE ST WEST - resolved to cover it in; ran to Blackwattle Bay
Letters to ed - suggestions for killing rats (poison meat; steam)
- Woollahra Tip
- who will pay the piper? (cost of plague, war)

Cleansing the streets - Source: State Library of NSW

JOURNAL OF THE PLAGUE YEAR, MONDAY APRIL 9TH, 1900

2020: DAY 16

SMH, p5

BUBONIC PLAGUE


TWO DAYS CASES
 AND DEATHS
For the two days ended with last night there were nine fresh cases of bubonic plague, and six deaths. 

ANOTHER QUARANTINED AREA RELEASED
- Union Co's shed used as barracks. Arrangements made for steam launch to take men to work so that they don't have to pass through cleansed areas.
- Town Hall disinfected by W.H. Bean & Co, using formalin.
- Thurs. to be set aside as day of humiliation by Archbishop. Also opening of Royal Easter Show so suggestion to have another day for prayer. Nothing decided.
- 

CONNECTING PROPERTIES TO SEWERS
- Water Board to implement Attorney General's decision to force property owners to connect to sewers, at owners' expense.
- 

EXTRA QUARANTINE ACCOMMODATION
AT SYDNEY & NEWCASTLE
- instruction from Premier to build substantial new buildings. Abt 300 men to be employed in building.


SERUM DESPATCHED FOR SYDNEY
- cable announcing that 2 litres posted from Pasteur Institute * 4 litres to follow shortly


REMARKS BY DR THOMPSON


THE MOST PRESSING NECESSITY


NO TIME FOR SUPINENESS
- mentions connection with fleas but he doesn’t think communication by fleas is usual.
- "kill rats" he repeats, several times.
-> capitation fee of 2d suggested.
"I regret to have to point out that at this time we are absolutely in the hands of the outbreak."
- 

WOOLLAHRA SANITARY COMMITTEE


INSPECTION OF BOATSHEDS AND JETTIES
- committee of diligence, pushing local council. Push for monthly inspection and disinfection of "all sinks and sanitary affairs"


WOOLLAHRA LADIES COMMITTEE
- Rose Scott undertakes to form Ladies committee to work in conjunction with (men's) committee. "Objects of the ladies are to call upon the lady residents of the electorate and urge them to assist in eradicating plague" by attention to Board of Health requests and to facilitate council inspections.


RATS AT BONDI - around rocks


WAVERLEY "TIP"


PRECAUTIONS AT VAUCLUSE


STABLE REFUSE AT GLEBE


PRECAUTIONS IN OTHER COLONIES


Street Cleaning - Source: State Library of NSW

JOURNAL OF THE PLAGUE YEAR, SUNDAY APRIL 8TH, 1900

2020: DAY 15

WEEKLY REPORT

April 1st – 7th

Register of Letters to the Colonial Secretary: Mostly letters from the Resumed Properties Branch with detail on costs relating to cleansing and demolitions. Various individuals send bills for food supplied to quarantined areas. Treasury sends a letter on the urgent necessity of destroying rats.

Government Gazette: 

Mostly proclamations resuming parts of the city for cleansing and fumigation operations and demolitions. 

Extracts from the Minutes of the Board of Health

April 3- Letter from merchants requesting removal of Mr W. Thomas, undertaker, from York St. because he had been employed to remove bodies of plague victims. Board tells merchants that Thomas not infectious.

- 3 medical men from India, China and Manilla had been shown Board's laboratory and plague exhibits and "had expressed themselves pleased with what they saw"

- Quarantining of premises: re Quarantining of John Sands building (after 2 cases among employees): "The Board further points out the impracticability of quarantining such large and important institutions as banks and other public establishments" because "even the temporary closure would prove a disaster to the country" (Distinction begins to be made between businesses and residences. Businesses can be fumigated without too much disruption, (i.e. after hours) but residences have to be evacuated...

April 5 Exception of yachts and pleasure craft from fumigation regulations (Easter coming up … )

- Strathfield Council writes to Board saying that if any police engaged in quarantine area, who live in Strathfield contract Plague, the Council will hold Board responsible

- Rat poison to be given free by Councils.

Register of Deaths

Between April 1st and April 7th, there are 8 deaths from Bubonic Plague: 6 men,1 woman and a 6 year old girl – 2 more than the previous week.

Old Wharf, Darling Harbour, Huddart Parker & Co - Source: State Library of NSW

JOURNAL OF THE PLAGUE YEAR, SATURDAY APRIL 7TH, 1900

2020: DAY 14

SMH, p10

BUBONIC PLAGUE


ANOTHER CITY AREA RELEASED


"CONTACTS" DISCHARGED FROM QUARANTINE 


YESTERDAY'S CASES
- release of area b/w Market, Sussex, Kent & King.


WOOLLAHRA SANITARY COMMITTEE
- Mr Edward Pulsford MLC moved "That the good fame & property of Sydney and its suburbs, as well as the health of the people require that every effort should be made to stamp out the traces of the plague with all possible speed."

RELIGIOUS SERVICES AT THE QUARANTINE STATION
- Wesleyans on station to be ministered by Presbyterian minister.
- volunteer sister appointed


RATS AND THE PLAGUE
- report from China Mail: Formosa, 1899, report sent by British Consul General at Taiwan to Colonial Secretary - 2633 cases, 1974 deaths, 606 recovered.


ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF SERVICES
- "a gentleman occupying a position  of some responsibility in the city" who'd been quarantined with family, commends service at Quarantine Station


DAY FOR SPECIAL PRAYER
- day for special prayer & "humiliation" set aside by Anglican Church to eliminate plague.
Archbishop Smith: ‘I ask you to invite your congregations and parishioners to unite in such special prayer and confession of sin on Thursday next, 12th instant. The day will, I understand, be ' proclaimed ' by the Government, in accordance with representations made to them. Let not the Church of England be backward in earnest supplications, that it may please God to remove this plague from the midst of us, and to increase in our land the prevalence of true religion. The holy week in which we commemorate the Passion and Death of our Lord is surely a fitting season for such self- humiliation and appeal to the mercy of God our Saviour.’

(Only one column on plague; paper tries not to bother people too much at weekends)
- 

Ads for Formalin Disinfection

Lane beside 72 Sussex St, Sydney - Source: State Library of NSW

JOURNAL OF THE PLAGUE YEAR, FRIDAY APRIL 6TH, 1900

2020: DAY 13

SMH, p3

BUBONIC PLAGUE


PROGRESS OF CITY CLEANSING OPERATIONS


STATE OF THE PATIENTS


ADDITIONAL CASES AND DEATHS
-

Circumstances having rendered it expedient that the lending branch of the Public Library should be disinfected, last night Messrs W H Bean and Co, of O’Connel-street, performed the disinfection by the Formalin process. This process is preferred in the United States to the use of sulphur and it is claimed for it that the gas generated from it, besides being a better germicide, is also preferable in that it does not injure the colours of fabric or tarnish metals. The apparatus is very simple, and the process of disinfection is carried out in comparatively little time. The same firm has disinfected a number of the apartments in the Town Hall , and will, in a day or two, disinfect the large hall. 

ENGAGEMENT OF AN EXPERT


MUNICIPAL COUNCILS AND THE HEALTH ACT


PROMPT ACTION NECESSARY


GOVT ASSISTANCE OFFERED 

  (on municipal role) Attorney Gen, Mr Wise says council should just tell Premier what's required and he'd arrange to pay. Cost will eventually be borne by owners, council having to extract it from them.
- press censorship in Boer War. - keeping information out of hands of enemy rather than informing the public.

THE NEW TELEPHONE SWITCHBOARD
The Postmaster-General is in receipt of a letter from Mr A Williamson, the representative of the contractor for the new telephone switchboard, with regard to the difficulty in working the same.  Mr Williamson points out that the interruptions in their service in connection with the change from one multiple switchboard to another are always considerable and exceedingly vexatious, and extend over a number of days.  There is also a number of small leakages of current on the switchboard which did not become apparent until the board was carrying the heavy traffic of the day. Difficulties necessarily occur when there are nearly 80,000 jacks and over 810 miles of wire to be tested. Mr Williamson adds: – “We, in conjunction with your staff, are working night and day on these troubles, and I have to seek your further forbearance for a few days. Service is being given to about 80 per cent of your subscribers, and the balance are being put into working order as rapidly as possible.” Mr Crick says that it was his intention to appoint a board of experts, outside the department, to inquire into matters connected with the switchboard: but upon receipt of Mr Williamson’s letter he decided to let the matter stand over until Monday.

32-34 Sussex St, Sydney - Source: State Library of NSW

JOURNAL OF THE PLAGUE YEAR, THURSDAY APRIL 5TH, 1900

2020: DAY 12

SMH, p5

BUBONIC PLAGUE 


ONE CASE YESTERDAY


REDUCED DETENTION OF "CONTACTS"


MORE QUARANTINE ACCOMMODATION


WORK IN QUARANTINED  AREA
- amount of "spoil" removed yesterday - 1000 tons


QUARANTINING CITY BLOCKS


DEPUTATION FROM BUSINESS MEN


THE PREMIER'S REPLY


VIGOROUS METHODS NECESSARY


APPEAL TO INDIVIDUAL CITIZENS: The Premier, Mr Lyne,’ now wished to make an appeal to every individual in the city to throw off apathy, and in his own and fellow citizens' interest do his personal best to wipe out the agents of infection, namely the rats. The only manner in which the city could be freed from the plague was by the special efforts of the individual’


FREE DISTRIBUTION OF RAT POISON
- deputation complained of inadequate notice of quarantining. Perishables on wharfs unable to be collected. Smaller blocks should be quarantined . Besides, it's not warehouses that are the problem, but discharge of sewerage into Darling Harbour because of inadequate sewerage system. If that had been sorted out, we wouldn’t have had these problems
- Premier replied - notice couldn’t be given, (obviously)
- but he'd warned harbourmaster (so warning was given...) 

The Government would do all it could to assist. It was having a poison for rats prepared in its most alluring form and would distribute the stuff indiscriminately to all who would put it to its intended use. For those people who disliked poisoning rats because of the after effects he promised to send special men along to search for and remove the carcases. A few days ago a rat which was caught in Cleveland-street was given to Dr Thompson, and on examination was found to be suffering from bubonic plague. 

Letter from Australie, suggesting that Patriotic Funds should be spent locally in view of "the enemy in our midst"


Advertisement: Vidatio - offering £10 to first person to get plague after taking Vidatio.

Napoleon St, Sydney - Source: State Library of NSW